Comments on: I have to admit

By: Steffi

Steffi — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:43:27 +0000

“Shit für dein Handy?” *lol* Never heard of that word being used like that in German. Obviously I’m growing old.

By: J

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:49:09 +0000

IslandGirl. I agree. Even worse when they start asking you what words they’ve learned from MTV or rap songs mean.

ann, yes, I have been told that it is softer in German than English. However, being raised in the US – it surprised me.

Cliff – I rarely here the F word, but the S word does come up from time to time. I explain its impact in my country and then teach them other words like ‘darn’.

By: Belinda

Belinda — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:05:41 +0000

I definitely agree about that. I wasn’t offended by the use of the word. What irks the crap out of me is how the kids here think that the English that they learn from MTV is how everyone speaks English.

By: cliff1976

cliff1976 — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:54:55 +0000

I hear the essword and effword pretty frequently at work in my German office. Mostly as exclamatory frustration expressions. I agree with ann that it doesn’t seem to carry the strong impact here that it would, for example, in a simillar office environment in the U.S. I think the pattern is a couple of essword usages before escalating to a quietly muttered effword — like “OK, now I’m seriously annoyed.”

By: ann

ann — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:38:52 +0000

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the word is somewhat less hard in German than in English. Then there is the other problem of people believing that real people behave like people in the movies, who curse like sailors.

By: Belinda

Belinda — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:30:18 +0000

I had a conversation with my class the other day about how the German teens are just absorbing English from MTV. Personally, I find it really scary.